Is Brock Purdy working overtime?
This may have been the most devastating loss in head coach Kyle Shanahan’s 49ers coaching career of all the significant setbacks.
(Alright, second most).
Former 7th round pick and “Mr. Irrelevant,” Brock Purdy, the former AP Assistant Coach of the Year, had the chance to exact revenge
on the Kansas City Chiefs, the team that had defeated the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl four years earlier, in his second Super
Bowl appearance as head coach after he supposedly finally found his quarterback.
Even though the Niners were the pregame favorites once more and led the Chiefs 10-3 at the half, they were unable to shut them out
and failed to capitalize on J’Ayir
Even with Shanahan’s open support, a very successful career record thus far (going 21-6 over the last two seasons), and leadership in
the NFL’s passer rating this past season, it seems possible to wonder if Brock Purdy is just a good “game managing” quarterback who
executes reads well in Shanahan’s well-planned offense, which is full of elite offensive playmakers.
In addition, Purdy has not fared well under duress in his brief career to date. His smaller stature (6’1′′) and less-than-ideal height can
contribute to a higher percentage of passes being batted down in crucial circumstances, which could have ultimately cost them the
game in Super Bowl LVIII.
“Over the past two weeks, Kyle Shanahan has been incredibly astute in establishing one talking point: he believed that acquiring Tom
Brady and benching Brock Purdy was an investment and a benefit to Purdy. Is it possible for him to assert the same thing about his
cousins, who, despite their lack of achievement, do have some weight? Shanahan is looking for quick processors that don’t drop
passes. His fondness for cousins is well-known. It makes sense to strengthen the quarterback room if the 49ers intend to run it back.
Though he recently suffered a season-ending Achilles tear, the question of whether Kirk Cousins is a true upgrade over Brock Purdy
and if he is worth the estimated $45–50 million price tag remains.
Even without the departure of key role players like Chase Young, an effective pass rusher and midseason trade acquisition, the San
Francisco 49ers are predicted to finish just above the cap in 2019. Therefore, it makes sense that Kirk joining the 49ers would require
some next level cap magic or a fiduciary sacrifice down the road.
Furthermore, even though Cousins is slightly taller than Purdy and plays well against blitzes—both of which are essential for an older,
more statue-like quarterback in Cousins’ ideal—he hasn’t likely shown enough post-season success or “clutch” ability in the playoffs to
justify such a contract, particularly for a team with limited resources already.
Some would even question whether Cousins is really an improvement over Purdy, who still has two full years left on his incredibly
cheap rookie contract. This is because of Purdy’s younger age, better mobility, and “game winner” mentality—he has twice in the past
two playoffs come back from significant deficits to lead drives in the fourth quarter that have won the game.
In the end, this is unlikely to occur, but Shanahan might consider getting back together with his
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!
